The present invention relates generally to electrical probes for oscilloscopes and other measuring, monitoring and signal processing instruments. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved, modular form of probe construction.
Many types of electrical probes are used for detecting electrical signals, such as voltage, current or logic signals, and transmitting the detected signals to the input of an oscilloscope or other electrical instrument. Generally speaking, conventional probes include three main components: a signal input member known as a "head", a termination including a signal output connector, and a length of flexible transmission line, or cable, interconnecting the head and termination.
Probes receive a considerable amount of handling and may become damaged, either accidently or through operator misuse. The most frequent victim of inadvertent or negligent abuse is the cable, which suffers from kinking, stretching, and excessive flexing. However, probe heads and terminations also are frequently damaged, by being dropped, for example, or electrically overloaded. In any event, once a probe has been damaged, repair is inconvenient and time consuming since the cable typically is fixedly attached, as by soldering, welding or crimping, to both the head and termination. Disassembly, component replacement, and reassembly take considerable time, and the resulting labor costs may make it uneconomical to repair the probe.
There is clearly a need for an improved probe construction that permits damaged components to be replaced quickly and easily, and it is an object of the present invention to satisfy this need in a practical and satisfactory manner.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide an electrical probe constructed of releasably interconnected, standardized modules, permitting ready replacement of a damaged or worn-out module.
Another object of the invention is to provide a modular form of probe construction in which the different components are adapted to be plugged together for convenient assembly and disassembly.
In certain applications, it is desirable that different components of a probe not be too easily disconnected from one another. For example, it may be necessary or required for safety reasons that the output connector and cable of a probe be secure against inadvertent disassembly, where such would expose a user to dangerous electrical potentials. Accordingly, it is a further object of the invention to provide a releasable locking connector for joining components of an electrical probe.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description of certain preferred embodiments is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.